The Thing Itself

In late 2017 I registered for a class at the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center — “The Thing Itself: An Intersection of Photography and Philosophy” that met on February 21 – March 28, 2018, led by Marian Howard.

This class was a natural for me. After finishing a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, I did all the coursework necessary for a Ph.D. in philosophy, where my studies included existentialism and phenomenology.

These days my philosophical background comes out in obvious ways in my Photo Prayer project, where my prayers are often more philosophical than they are theological.

Seven other people participated in the class. I was especially delighted with the discussions. No one tried to dominate them, and everyone had insightful things to say. Marian Howard has a real knack for getting people talking! I never again expect to hear such intelligent and penetrating comments on my own photos. Those twenty minutes were a thrill of a lifetime!